Electrode holder



D. F. VARNER Sept. 26, 1933.

ELECTRODE HOLDER Filed March 4, 1952 INVENTOR Patented Sepe 2e, 1933 UNITED VSTATES MTENT ol-IFlce ELECTRODE HOLDER Dana P. Varner, Melvindale, Mich. Application March 4, 1932. Serial No. 596,766 1 claims. (c1. 21a-s) This-invention relatesV to electrodes for use in electric welding-and has for its object to provide an arrangement which is especially adapted to y meet the requirements of safety and convenience 5 in welding, especially in places ordinarily dinicult of access and where danger of arcing between the electro'de holder and surrounding structures may be present.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the provision of a thoroughly insulated electrode holder having extensible qualities whereby its eifective length may be decreased or increased to suit circumstances without affecting the practical utility of the device, and in a simple and ready manner together, with means for engaging the electrode in the holder which may be operated from' the handle of the holder, irrespective `of whether the extension of the holder ispresent or not.

vide an electrode holder having a head and a handle with an electrode engaging device in the head operated by suitable mechanism in the handle, and an extension insertable between the head and the handle and carrying means for establishing operative communication between'the said electrode-engaging device and the said operating mechanism when the extension is in position.

The invention further aims to provide a suit` able switch in the handle for controlling the flow of current to the electrode at any time.

Still further objects and advantages, subsid iary or incidental to the aforesaid objects, or resulting from the constructionor operation of the invention as it may be carried into eifect, will become apparent as the said invention is here-V inafter further disclosed.

In carrying the invention into effect, I may provide an insulated handle having a switch-controlled conductor therein and a head for engagement with said handle, said head containing a reciprocal electrode-engaging member and a conductor to convey current to said electrode from the conductor of said handle, the said'handle being provided with-a manually operable mech-l A further object of the invention is to prooperable mechanism of the handle when the er;` tension is in place.

All of which is more particularly described and ascertained hereinafter, by way of example, having reference to the accompanying drawing, 5f, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the improved electrode holder;

Figure 2 is a plan of the same with the casing partly broken away to indicate certain details of the construction;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line BX- X of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line ix-4x of Figure 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several gures of the drawing.

A, B, and C indicate, generally, the handle,V the head, and extension barrel respectively of the electrode holder.

The handle A is shown as being in the form of a tube 1 of insulated material containing conductors 2 and 3, the conductor 2 receiving the terminal 4 of a feed cable 5, and the conductor 3 having a tubular portion 3a adapted to receive the end of a conductor 6 carried by the head B, or the end of a conductor 7 carried byV the barrel C according to whether the said head B is being directly connected to Ythehandleli or the barrel C utilized as will. be obvious. vThe ends 3 of the said conductors 6 and '7 may be slotted as at 8 and 9 to'facilitate their entrance into and rm engagement with the tubular portion 3a of the said conductor 3.l Similarly, it will be' seen that the slotted end of the conductor may Venter the outer end of the conductor 7 of the barrel, when the said barrel is utilized as shown on the drawing.

The handle A preferably houses a switch for convenience, `although this is not essential, and J3 a suitable form of switch is shown as comprising a spring member 10 provided at its extremi-A ties with carbon contacts 11 adapted to engage further carbon contacts '12 mounted on the conductors 2 and 3, the said spring member '10 car- -rying a hollow member 13 enclosing a toroidal spring 14 through which a spindle 15, transversely arranged in the handle, passes. This spindle has an enlargement 16 thereon tapered in opposite directions from its center so that, as the spindle is moved in one or other direction of its axis, the toroidal spring 14 will be expanded over the greatest diameter of the said enlargement and byvirtue of its riding over the tapered faceof the enlargement as it again contracts will movelm uf u the member 13 upward or downward within the handle, thus eifecting the closing or opening of the carbon contacts as the case may be.

The head B of the holder consists of the conductor 6 with a covering of insulating material 17 and housing a reciprocal electrode-engaging member 18 having slots 19, 20, and 21 therein through which an electrode may be passed, the head being provided with openings 22 and 23 permitting the passage of the electrode tln'ough such slots, it being apparent that according to the selection of slot the electrode may be held at varying angles with respect to the head. The retraction of the member 18 by a suitable spring 24 provided for that purpose causes the clamping of the electrode in its slot against the conductor which preferably includes a bushing 25.

The extension barrel C is also shown as having an insulating covering 26, and this barrel houses a longitudinally movable rod 27 which may be supported in bushings 28 and limited in its endwise movement by a pin or screw 29, the outer end of the said rod being provided with a socket 3G to engage the inner end of the member 18 of the head.

A trigger 31 mounted in the handle and connected by a link 32 to a socket 33 is adapted to engage the inner end of the said rod 27 when the extension barrel is in position on the handle, so that movement of the trigger will impart movement to the member 1S through the medium of the rod 27 when the said barrel is in position. It will be obvious that when the extension barrel is not utilized, and the head is directly connected to the barrel, the inner end of the said member 18 will enter the socket 33 of the trigger mechanism for direct operation. The arrangement is so simple that it is believed that further detailed explanation is unnecessary.

Any suitable means, such as set screws 34, may

be utilized for positively locking the parts A, B, and C one to the other. It will be apparent that complete insulation is provided in the device without excessive bulk or unwieldy projections so that the electrode holder may be passed through or into very restricted positions with a maximum of visibility and a minimum of danger to the operator or apparatus, and its simple construction admits of easy and positive operation under all conditions as well as simple manufacture without loss of robust qualities.

This invention may be developed within the scope of the following claims without departing from the essential featuresl of the said invention, that it is desired that the specification and drawing be read as being merely illustrative, and not in a limiting sense, except as necessitated by the prior (art.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a handle,

.a head attachable to said handle, an electrodeengaging member in said head, means in said handle for the electrode-releasing operation of said member, an extension barrel for insertion between said handle and said head, and a movable element in said barrel connecting the operating means of said handle to the electrodeengaging member of said head when said barrel is in position.

2. In a device of the class described, a handle,

inseam? a removable extension on said handle, a removable head on said extension adapted for connection with said handle when said extension is removed, an electrode-engaging device in said head, operating means therefor in said handle, and means in said extension establishing operative communication between said operating means and said electrode engaging device.

3. In a device of the class described, a handle, a removable extension on said handle, a removable head on said extension adapted for connection with Said handle when said extension is removed, an electrode-engaging device in said head, operating means therefor in said handle, and a movable rod in said extension constitutingan actuating connection between the operating means of said handle and the said electrode engaging device.

4. In a device of the class described, a handle of insulating material, a conductor exte idiug therethrough, a detachable head on said handle, a conductor in said head engaging the conductor of said handle when said head is in position, :in electrode-engaging member in said head, and operating means therefor in said handle, said member being separable from said operating means to permit the separation of said head from said handle.

5. In a device of the class described, a tubular handle of insulating material, a conductor therewithin having tubular end portions, a tubular head of insulating material, a conductor within said head adapted to engage with the conductor of said handle for the securing of said head thereto, an electrode-engaging member in said head, and means in said handle for operating said electrode-engaging member.

6. In a device of the class described, a handle of insulating material, a conductor extending therethrough, a detachable head on .said handle, a conductor in said head engaging the conductor of said handle when said head is in position, an electrode-engaging member in said head, operating means therefor in said handle, said member being separable from said operating means to permit the separation of said head from said handle, an extension for insertion between said handle and said head, said extension including an outwardly insulated conductor for engagement' with the conductors of said handle and said lll head, and means in said extension to establish operative communication between said operating means and said member when said extension is in position. v

7. In a device of the class described, a tubular handle of insulating material, a conductor therewithin having tubular end portions, a tubular head of insulating material, a conductor within said head adapted to engage with the conductor of said handle for the securing of said head thereto, an electrode-engaging member in said head, operating means therefor associated with said handle, an extension for insertion between said handle and said head, said extension including an outwardly insulated conductor for engagement with the conductors of said handle and said head., and means in said extension to establish operative communication between said operating means and said member when said extension is in position.

DANA P. VARNER. 

